Crispy Chilli Chicken | Chinese Fakeaway Recipe
If you catch yourself reaching for the Chinese takeout menu, again and again, we have a wonderful recipe here for you that will come together in just over 30 minutes, and will definitely satisfy the craving for sweet, salty, slightly spicy and umami flavours that only Chinese cuisine can offer! We present to you the takeaway of the year - Crispy Chilli Chicken (that sometimes goes by the name of Shredded Crispy Chicken in Chilli Sauce)!
Ingredients
- 450 g chicken breasts skinless, boneless
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon caster sugar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 egg small
- 200 g cornflour
- 120 ml vegetable oil
- 1 small carrot cut into thin short sticks
- ½ red bell pepper cut into thin short slices
- 25 g ginger peeled and cut into thin sticks
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
For The Sauce:
- 3 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon clear honey
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
Garnish:
- 1 spring onion sliced
- a pinch of sesame seeds
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken Strips
- Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips against the grain, that is, in a different direction from which the natural muscle fibres run in.
- When the chicken is cut, place the thin strips in a bowl with sesame oil, soy sauce and caster sugar and leave the chicken to marinate, whilst you prepare all the other elements of the dish.
Make The Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the clear runny honey, tomato ketchup, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Mix well and set aside for later.
Prepare Veggies:
- Using a large knife, crush the garlic clove with a swift sharp bang of the palm of your hand. Peel the garlic cloves and chop them up very finely. Do the same with the ginger. Use a wide-bladed knife, place it on top of your unpeeled garlic with the sharp edge facing away and slam the palm of your hand to crush it under the blade (take care not to cut yourself).
- Julienne (cut into short thin strips) a small carrot and red bell pepper. You can use a mandoline slicer if you wish.
Fry the Chicken:
- Crack a small egg into your chicken and mix well so all the strips are well coated. Spoon the cornflour into a large mixing bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Then add the chicken strips (let any excess egg drip off) into cornflour and mix well with your hands until all the strips are covered. Strips should now be separated from each other and each should have a full coat of cornflour. It’s essential to use an excessive amount of corn flour to make sure your chicken is crispy, so don’t be stingy.
- Add about 120ml of vegetable oil (or other odourless oil) into your wok or a large frying pan. I tend to use a smaller pan and fry my chicken strips in three batches. Using a small pan means I need to add less oil for the beef to fully submerge (just me being extra frugal).
- Make sure your oil is hot before you start adding the chicken. And don’t overcrowd the pan. Better fry in batches. It will only take 5 minutes per batch so you won’t save that much time if you do it all in one go.
- Transfer the crispy chicken onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Then repeat with the rest of the chicken.
Assemble:
- In a separate large frying pan or wok, add a tablespoon of oil (I just take a spoonful from my beef pan). Add carrots, pepper, chilli flakes, ginger and garlic and fry on high heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then add the sauce that you prepared earlier. Stir and leave to vigorously bubble for a minute. Add the crispy chicken and toss just enough to coat.
- Serve your crispy chilli chicken with some spring onion and sesame seeds scattered on top and some fluffy white rice on the side!
Nutrition
Calories: 667kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 28gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 1280mgPotassium: 647mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 3343IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!